Apple is gearing up for the launch of the iPhone 6 in September and has reportedly placed a massive order of between 70 and 80 million units — far more than any previous iPhone launch. As we’ve previously reported, the iPhone 6 will step up to a much larger 4.7-inch screen with a sapphire front panel — but curiously, there’s now a very solid rumor that there will also be an iPhone 6 with a 5.5-inch screen. At first blush, a 5.5-inch iPhone 6 sounds utterly crazy, but it makes a little more sense following Apple’s earnings call on Tuesday: Last quarter, Apple’s tablet sales dropped a massive 19% sequentially and 9% year-over-year. Perhaps fading iPad sales are the reason Apple is finally looking at large-screen phones?

Earlier in the week on July 22, at the same time as Microsoft in fact, Apple had its quarterly earnings call — and it doesn’t look good for the iPad. While iPhone and Mac sales are up significantly (13% and 18% year-over-year), and overall revenues were a massive $37.4 billion (up 6% YOY), the iPad and iPad Mini are now clearly in a downwards trend. Last quarter, Apple shifted just 13.2 million iPads, down from 16.4 million last quarter and 26 million during the (always massive) 2013 holiday season. Apple’s tablet sales are definitely slowing down.

4-inch iPhone 5S vs. a leaked 4.7-inch iPhone 6 front panel

On the other hand, iPhone sales continue to grow and drive most of Apple’s utterly insane profits. While the 5C arrived with a bit of a whimper, Tim Cook says it’s doing better now. There is some data to suggest that the 5C, despite being a “flop,” has still outsold every other non-iPhone on the market, including Android flagships like the Galaxy S4. And now, following its (seemingly successful) first attempt at differentiation with the iPhone 5S and 5C, Apple is reportedly preparing to launch two versions of the iPhone 6, both with much larger screens than the current 4-inch iPhone. [Read: 4.7-inch iPhone 6 sapphire screen is super strong and flexible, but will it be impact resistant?]

I still don’t quite believe that Apple is preparing to launch both a 4.7- and 5.5-inch version of the iPhone 6, but when the rumor mill and supply chain leaks are this persistent, it’s rare for them to be wrong. With such dramatically larger screens, it’s clear that Apple finally wants to go toe-to-toe with Android flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8. While the iPhone is still selling very well, so are Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones (the Galaxy S5 sold 11 million units in its first month of availability). With a 4.7-inch or 5.5-inch screen, Apple will be hoping that it can significantly boost the iPhone sales figures — and you know what? I think it’s a very savvy move.

The key factor here, which few people seem to be discussing, is that the standard 4-inch iPhone 5S isn’t going away. With the release of the 5S and 5C, Apple was testing the waters for a family of iPhones — and now, with that test a success, the company now feels confident in further differentiating the lineup into a 4-inch phone, a cheaper 4-inch phone, and two larger-screen phones for the tens of millions of people who want a bigger screen.

What’s always puzzled me, though, is the persistent rumor of both a 4.7- and 5.5-inch iPhone 6. Wouldn’t it make more sense to have a 4-inch iPhone 6 for Apple’s core, small-handed clientele, and a 4.7-inch iPhone 6 for Android converts? There could be a 4-inch iPhone 6, I suppose, and maybe even a plastic-backed 4-inch iPhone 6 — so, four new phones in total — but we’re still left with one big question: What’s the target market of the 5.5-inch iPhone 6?

The phablet market, of course. After all, if Jony Ive and co finally agreed to design a 4.7-inch iPhone to compete with the Galaxys of the world, why not also do a 5.5-inch iPhone to take down the Galaxy Note and other phablets? It makes even more sense if you factor in the decreasing iPad sales, too.

The release of the iPhone 5C opened the floodgate for iPhone differentiation. Next up: Bigger screens.

Clearly, with the successful launch of the iPhone 5C, Apple has finally given up on the monolithic one-size-fits-all prescriptive approach for the iPhone — and now the flood gates have opened. Before you know it, there’ll be an iPhone Mini, an iPhone Maxi 6C, and an iPhone Air. And Apple’s revenues will go through the roof.

Tagged In

I switched to a Nexus 5 back in January, and I have no intention of returning to an Apple product (no matter what size the screen is). The reason I switched was because of Apple’s draconian mantra of “You will use our product how we tell you to…” Sorry, I’m not dealing with that anymore.

Best wishes to all the Apple fans though.

TheSquareRootOfThree

I have the Nexus 5 as well. It’s an awesome phone.

Matt Menezes

DItto. I got the Nexus 5 after having my Nexus 4 for a year. If they decide to come out with the Nexus 6, I’ll get that, too… :-)

TheSquareRootOfThree

Likewise. I had the Samsung Nexus for the longest time. It’s still a great phone. I found the camera to be awesome.

Julian Cottingham

I love the screen on my Nexus 5 it is so much brighter than my wife’s Galaxy S4 or my work iPhone when using it outside in bright sunlight.

Mo Friedrich

Could you maybe explain to me where Apple is restricting you in using your phone? Serious question, I’m curious.

deathspal

(mind you I use an iPhone) they only let you use the apps they approve.. unless you hack the device.

Kevin Phan

And that’s why iOS has better apps overall, its a closed eco-system where it’s difficult to pirate apps unlike andriod where all you need is to goto a website and pirate it. Having an open sourced software on a device hurts developers and can cause many more problems like viruses and malware.
iOS 8 is becoming more open with 3rd party software coming in (customizable keyboard, photo filters, etc) and will only continue to grow until it can outpace one of Andriods great point of “openness”

sebastian giacana

the more amazing thing is when a new ios fix is released, they fix some glitches but gives you new problems like i see that you re in love with apple , you will say that you”never” has a problems

Dhiren Khandel

Ironically Android apps used to be unoptimised but as Android has matured, the inconsistencies are being wiped out.

Dhiren Khandel

Really not that difficult to pirate apps on iOS. Jailbreak it, then install cydia, illegal app sources and then install apps from your pc when you download them on that. Simple and easy enough to do. Anything goes wrong, go to iTunes and restore. There were plenty of useful apps that wouldn’t be allowed onto the appstore but made the phone way more customisable. I would test some apps before buying them because there wouldn’t be a free version like on Android. Apple’s approach to monitoring apps makes the appstore safe but the negatives outway the positives and they stifle innovative apps coming along and of course they take a bigger cut of any paid apps. Basically the only reason to develop for iOS is to tap into the market of consumers.

Android on the other-hand is laissez-faire and that approach is favourable with developers as well as some consumers. Updates are quick and there is a wider range of apps on Android if you really look. For a while there was a small risk of viruses but as long as you aren’t a fool its impossible to contaminate your system. Google take a smaller cut I’m told and its got a wider global audience to target.

Apple understands this and consumers preferences combined with hardware prices become more favourable to Android and hence is trying to slowly adopt some of Android openness.

disqus_H0fMMSarva

I really doubt you ever had an iphone Royalkin.

That said, best of like Android fans. It won’t be long until you will be switching phones again, due to the lack of longevity of android phones.

ScoobiJohn

for me i found ios to restrictive – i like weather and calander widgets and animated backgrounds etc – ios is just little square icons all rowed up and cant even select where you want them on the screen they stack from top left and damn it you’ll like it that way or else

moving to android (did so with the galaxy s2 – which i still got – much longer than i kept any iphone) was the best – that said not for everyone my sister had a galaxy note 2 and went back to iphone 5 though i think it might have been the size of the phone that put her off and she tarred all android phones with her issues with it

anyway sure will lure some android big phone people over but doubt it will be that many – simple fact is that android is a better operating system now and the google play store is as good or better than app store now

Zunalter

Very true, but after having my GS3 for two years…it is definitely on its last legs. My previous iPhone was (is) still working fine, if a bit aged. So, as much as I love the freedom of my Android phone, I am tempted by the great build quality of the iPhone.

ScoobiJohn

have you tried a new battery – put one in my S2 and its as good as new – trying to talk myself into a new phone but i think to myself is there really that much a new phone will do that my S2 wont and keep coming up with not much – still maybe when next galaxy phone arrives will jump for that

Zunalter

Yes, I actually bought 2 new batteries off Amazon for $8 apiece. Another reason I would be very hesitant to switch to Apple.

disqus_H0fMMSarva

Not sure what your complaining about, I am using an iphone4s although it has some restrictions is not as bad as exaggerated by the iphone haters like yourself. Most of them which I no longer believe since lots of apple haters pose as “ex Iphone users” spewing random hatred comments like yourself. that said if you like Android, i’m not even sure why you bother wasting your time reading iphone6 articles. Iphone will forever be iphones. They will never have expansion slots, nor removable batteries. Don’t like it? Get a plastic android phone.

evuan

With the new iPhone 6 coming out I better sell my old iPhone before the value of it drops. I usually search 11-13 different sites to find the best offer, but I just found this company that compares all the buyback companies in one spot, RecomHub.

It’s like Kayak but for electronic devices that show you all the offers in one spot.

Any Apple phone without the above has no chance in the market since the Galaxy S5 already has it.

http://www.bluemonkeysfrommarz.com/ BlueMonkeysFromMarz.com

Totally. /s

Matt Menezes

While I agree the specs you mention are important, don’t even think for a minute that Apple has to adopt them in order to survive. They dominate the smartphone market, and they dominate it with huge margins. Hell, they’re sitting on like $160+ billion!!

http://www.sirgcal.com/ SirGCal

It depends entirely how you look at the data. What is more concerning to me are shipments per quarter in which apple is losing out. Don’t care as much for devices that have been around as that’s not what is being bought today…

iOS is up from last year from 11.8M to 19.5M shipments. But Android is up from 8M to 27.8M. Last year Apple had 58.1% of the new shipments, now only 39.1%

These are also area specific in many cases. Still an interesting read. This one for tablets but still an important segment and yes, when I upgrade my new phone, all of these items will be requirements for the new device or it won’t receive my money. And THAT is the bottom line. Now that true water-proof exists, it is a must have for people in the active world. And I’m in a wheelchair but it doesn’t mean I don’t get stuck in the rain. Tired of trying to protect the phone at all costs and still failing.

Kevin Phan

Take into account: Apple is a company, and Andriod is an operating system. Andriod is used by multiple companies, having a large variety of phones even lower than $100, compared to market share to every other company, Apple’s iPhone is HUGE.

sebastian giacana

and that huge company cant solve a problem like battery drain,wont use your apple device to clean your typos..i see your profile:no date , playing online games all day, reading articles about apple and steve jobs could save the universe and you would kill your mom to work for free for apple

Ivor O’Connor

That is true but change is slowly brought about by people like you and me posting. I’ve seen very impressive changes as a result of people speaking up…

jqpabc123

What you say may be true but you clearly you do not understand “the market” or the marketing power of the Apple logo.

Ivor O’Connor

It’s changing. An old person who has no idea of how to use a phone was proudly pointing out they had a Samsung Galaxy 5 to me last week. I was delighted to see it’s becoming cool not to own Apple. I dream that in another five years Apple will be nothing but a bad memory!

Kevin Phan

You named ONE guy, I could name another thousand people switching to iPhone now, and another thousand switching to Andriod, Your ideals and dreams are too narrow to see the big picture, The fact that iPhone 5s is almost a year old and is STILL outselling the s5 that has been out for a couple of months. Your comment also tells me that you’re a bit bia’s against apple,

Remember the larger screen allows a bigger battery essential with LTE.
Memory cards certainly allow people on a budget the opertunity to buy cheaper and expand their device.

Ivor O’Connor

True. Had not thought of that. Thanks.

Dom Doty

Lets be honest here……. the replaceable battery was a thing with the GalaxyS2. No one knows that cuz it wasn’t advertised.

mckooter

Even the original Galaxy S… I had a captivate and carried a spare battery all the time. Honestly though, never used it. I have chargers everywhere and am always charging, its become a habit and I never worry about battery life anymore.

postmerrick

Your list of must haves is solid but you’re a niche market segment who’s technically savvy and posts comments on tech articles. There is a bigger market for the smartphone oblivious like your mom and grandma. Your list of necessary conditions would be meaningless to them. So, you’re wrong. There is plenty of market for mfgs like Apple to fleece customers with crap upgrades in its S iteration iPhones and its philosophy of treating over-charged customers like children who don’t deserve to have thoughts considered.

Ivor O’Connor

It’s amazing what Apple gets away with. However if we constantly speak up at some point the fad will change. I’m fairly happy with T-Mobile and the Nexus 5. I kind of expect them to limit my at times 63mbps speeds or my 20 or so GBs I use each month.

I tried to show a friend how to tether the other day but discovered carriers block this basic feature on android phone is they are not sold directly from Google. All the more reason for me not to buy a Samsung G5 until it is sold through google. https://play.google.com/store/devices

dc

better CPU… better overall ecosystem…. Apple still has those. I’ve use both and prefer Android, but ONLY because I’m cheap and can get a good phone for $300. I’d never consider a 600 dollar android phone.

The metrics which are obvious all put the Samsung Galaxy S5 far ahead of Apples best phone…

I do agree though. $600 for a phone. Ouch.

dc

There are a lot of articles comparing the CPUs, if you do a google search. I know Tomshardware ran one or two. Overall, the Apple won pretty much all the comparisons. Having said that, I’m not sure that there is much noticeable difference as I don’t know that phones are CPU intensive. But yeah either way $300 is about all I will spend so it doesn’t really matter.

mcvane

Why would any fool buy an iPhone?
-proprietary adapters
-no memory cards
-forcing you to logon to it’s cloud
…just to name a few
I have a 4 year old Motorola Atrix and it serves me well for tonnes of CPU intensive things.

Max

Its really no joke. Apple is starting to really feel the bite of Android. I think all softwares have felt the results of Android lately.

Barry Wilson

Which is why we need both Android and Apple. Nothing like competition to keep the innovation coming. I have the Note II, wife has the 5S, I don’t think one is overall superior to the other, except for the larger screen for me. I am thinking about trying out the iPhone 6 if it comes with the larger screen on next upgrade. But waiting also to see what the next Nexus is going to be like too. These old eyes find the larger screens more practical. I’m not a fanboy of anything (well, the Beatles were pretty bloody gear), least of all cellphones, and get amused by those who rant for one over the other. But Android is definitely getting better every release, we’ll see what OS delivers. Will be fun picking my next phone.

ronch

No bigger screen is going to convince Android fans to switch to Apple. Well, ok, there IS one way: ship the iPhone 6 with Android.

Zunalter

“No bigger screen is going to convince Android fanBOYS to switch to Apple. Well, ok, there IS one way: ship the iPhone 6 with Android.”

There. Fixed it for you. ;)

tbake

I have many times wished for the apple hardware—but only hardware. If I could run android on an iphone, I might own one. As has been said many times, freedom comes at a price – hardware build quality is that price in this instance. I’ll stick with nearly great hardware design forever to enjoy the freedom of android. Even considered knock off android-iphones, but I fear it just wouldn’t be the same.

Zunalter

I am hashing through that very same dilemma right now…whether I value freedom or build quality. Luckily, I have until this next gen comes out to decide.

postmerrick

I jumped from Android to Apple because of Google’s inability to be faithful to its Nexus line. I went with Verizon’s Nexus. Verizon lied and crippled Nexus. Sure, I could get around VZW by rooting and unlocking but should I have to? No. Google obviously couldn’t care less about its Nexus customers and fragmentation. Verizon is run by scumbags who fleece Verizon customers, but I’m grandfathered into unlimited data and using >20 GB a month. Plus, Verizon’s 20 GB LTE is unmatched as a regular occurrence. No, a few cubic square feet in a handful of cities doesn’t count, AT&T, where you drop all LTE in 10 feet.

What I miss about Android: CHOICE of good keyboards, ability to drag and drop files, ability to play files with the app you choose. iOS is more stable but it crashes too. iOS bleeds lots less memory and has less performance degradation.

Ivor O’Connor

I’m sorry to be the first to bring this to your attention but Verizon just announced, in an infinite display of glorious evil, they will now throttle “unlimited LTE” plans after you reach 4.7GBs. Just like AT&T.

I hope this ends up destroying Verizon with a huge exodus to say T-Mobile.

maggiejcarter

Start working at home with Google! It’s by-far the best job I’ve had. Last Wednesday I got a brand new BMW since getting a check for $6474 this – 4 weeks past. I began this 8-months ago and immediately was bringing home at least $77 per hour. I work through this link, go﻿ to tech tab for work detail

✒✒✒✒✒✒ Jobs7000.Com

=================================

Harry_Wild

I like the new iphone 6 rumor photos. But not crazy about the antenna separates shown in the back of the case. I almost positive that Apple will not let it show like it is on these photos renderings. No sure about which size I would buy either. Wait and see is my motto for now!

Logan – DUUUUVALLLLLL

if given a choice who would take the 4in phone over the 4.7in phone. People were not upset when Apple made the jump from 3.5 to 4. Apple expects most people to buy into the 4.7 over the 5.5, I bet a lot more people buy the 5.5 and the 4.7 sales will lag.

dc

It’s a good move but a few years too late. People like me with fat fingers just couldn’t use the 4″ phone. After becoming used to Android, it would be hard for me to make the switch. And even if I switched brands I’d consider MS first most likely.

Still wishing for a true linux phone… haha. I know Android is based on it, but it’s more like Linux with a Java virtual machine going all the time.

Hey I like the console…. I’m old.

http://nanchatte.wordpress.com Graxxor Anandro Vidhelssen

Fading iPhone sales… Yeah, because the 5s was such a flop compared to the 5 O_o

RH

Apple might also be trying to target the huge phablet market in China with the iphone 6. There are multiple 5+ inch devices in China, and isn’t Apple suppose to release the iPhone6 in China? If China hasn’t had the iPhone before, the “newbie” isheep in China, looking for that touch of self gratification, will jump to buy them, will they not?

Ed Gordon

If apple had just allowed adobe flash on ALL of their devices and made a line of phones larger than that puny 4 inch crap from the start, right now the only problems they would have is fighting off anti trust lawsuits. And thats not really that big of a problem because it would mean that they were so big and so good and have the market so cornered that the only thing people could do is whine about them being a monopoly. And say what you want about adobe flash not being needed anymore because of HTML 5. There are still a MULTITUDE of websites that are flashed based and it doesnt seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Just like fax machines.

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